1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to basketball systems and, in particular, to a basketball rim assembly.
2. Description of Related Art
The game of basketball is played by many people throughout the United States and the world. Briefly, the game of basketball typically includes a flat and level playing surface with a basketball goal at each end of the court. The basketball goal, which usually includes a backboard and a hoop or rim, is often attached to the top of a support pole. The basketball hoop is normally located ten feet above the playing surface and the backboard is often constructed from materials such as wood, plastic or tempered glass.
Conventional basketball goals often include rigidly mounting the hoop to the basketball backboard so that the face of the backboard is positioned perpendicular to the playing surface and the hoop is positioned parallel to the playing surface. The mounting of the hoop to the backboard must be sufficiently rigid so that the hoop remains in a generally stationary position and parallel to the playing surface. In addition, the hoop must be securely attached to the backboard so that the hoop is capable of withstanding various forces and impacts during the game of basketball. For example, the hoop must remain in a generally stationary position and parallel to the playing surface so that the basketball rebounds and bounces off the rim in a consistent, dependable manner.
In addition, the hoop must be able to withstand various impacts during the game. For example, in recent years it has become increasingly popular for players to “dunk” the basketball by throwing the basketball through the hoop with great force. In particular, when “dunking” the basketball, the player throws the basketball through the hoop from a position above the rim, often with significant force and velocity. While it is possible to dunk the basketball without the basketball or the player touching the hoop, it is not uncommon for the player to strike the rim with the basketball and/or his or her hands and arms while dunking the basketball. The player may also momentarily grab or hang onto the hoop while dunking the basketball. Additionally, players may occasionally hold or suspend themselves from the hoop to prevent them from falling, to regain their balance and/or to prevent them from landing on another player. These forces caused by dunking the basketball and players grabbing the hoop are often substantial.
If the force applied to the basketball hoop is excessive, then many problems could result. For example, the hoop may be bent such that it is no longer parallel to the playing surface. This is very undesirable because if the hoop is not horizontal and parallel to the playing surface, then the basketball will not bounce or rebound consistently or correctly. After a hoop has been bent into a deformed position, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to restore the hoop to its original, horizontal position. Thus, the hoop must usually be replaced, which is often time consuming and difficult to accomplish. Further, because hoops used in connection with home, playground and portable basketball systems are often not as strong and durable as hoops used for professional basketball systems, these hoops are more likely to be bent and deformed. Therefore, these types of hoops may be more likely to be damaged and in need of replacement.
Additionally, if excessive force is applied to the hoop, then the backboard may be damaged or broken. For example, if the backboard is constructed from tempered glass, then the glass may shatter. The backboard may also be constructed from other materials, such as plastic, that may also be damaged or broken if too much force is applied to the hoop. Disadvantageously, if the backboard is damaged or broken, then it may be very difficult or impossible to repair. Thus, the entire backboard may have to be replaced, which may be time consuming and expensive.
In order to help prevent the hoop and backboard from being damaged, it is known to use a basketball hoop that will “breakaway” or deflect from its original horizontal position to an angled or deflected position when a force greater than a predetermined amount is applied to the hoop. In particular, when a force greater than the predetermined amount is applied to the hoop, the rim may be allowed to pivot downwardly before the rim or backboard is damaged. These known breakaway rims allow the hoop to maintain its horizontal position during regular play when forces, such as a basketball bouncing off the hoop, are applied. The breakaway rims, however, deflect downwardly when a substantial amount of force is applied to the hoop, such as when a player dunks a basketball or grabs the rim.
Known breakaway rims, however, are often rather complex structures that include multiple parts. In addition, many conventional breakaway rims require a relatively large amount of space to store the various parts and components. In particular, many conventional breakaway rims have relatively large-sized parts that require a significant amount of storage space. For instance, many conventional breakaway rims include an enclosure that encloses various parts and components. The enclosure, which may have a size that is significantly larger than the other components of the breakaway rim, may significantly increase the amount of storage space. Because conventional breakaway rims often require a large amount of storage space, they may also require a relatively large amount of space for packaging. The relatively large sized packaging may significantly increase shipping costs.
Because many conventional basketball rim assemblies include multiple components and require a relatively large amount of space, they may be quite expensive to manufacture and ship, which may result in an increased price to the consumer. In addition, many conventional breakaway rim assemblies are often relatively difficult and time consuming to assemble because, for example, of the multiple parts and components. Because many consumers lack the ability and/or the time required to assemble these conventional breakaway rim assemblies, manufacturers often ship the rim assemblies in a completely assembled configuration. This may undesirably increase the cost of manufacturing and shipping because of the extra time required to assemble the breakaway rim assemblies and the completely assembled rim assemblies typically take up more space, making them less efficient to ship and store.